Slovene police crack down on protesters

Published: Sunday, June 17, 2001

Associated Press

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia {AP} Police arrested more than 20 people Saturday after a scuffle at the U.S. embassy and beat Italian activists trying to enter the country to join protests during the meeting of the U.S. and Russian presidents.

Later, riot police faced off against nearly 1,000 anti-globalization protesters who had marched to the Russian embassy Saturday afternoon. Police brought in armored cars and a water cannon, but a woman planted herself in front of the convoy.

Protests by groups opposed to American and Russian policies took place as President Bush and President Vladimir Putin met in a 16th century manor outside Brdo Pri Kranju, about 18 miles north of the Slovenian capital.

Shortly before the two presidents arrived separately at Ljubljana's airport, 22 members of the environmental group Greenpeace were arrested after five of them jumped the fence at the U.S. Embassy here.

Two of the protesters chained themselves to the stairs leading into the embassy building. Another tried to climb the flagpole and remove the U.S. flag before he was apprehended and handcuffed by embassy guards wearing civilian clothes.

Outside the compound, the other activists chained themselves together and held up a banner reading: "Stop Star Wars."

Slovene riot police rushed to the scene, cut the chains and took the protesters into custody, police spokesman Miran Koren said.

Twelve were from Austria, six from Slovakia, two from Britain and the others from the Czech Republic and Spain, Koren said.

Before the protest, a Greenpeace activist, Mike Townsley, said his group was angry over "the collapse of the weapons control treaties," principally the 1972 Anti-ballistic Missile treaty which Bush has branded a relic of the Cold War.

Slovene authorities have stepped up security here and along the borders to prevent extremists from entering the country to cause trouble during the one-day meeting.

On Saturday, Slovene authorities stopped a bus carrying about 40 members of Italian-based anti-globalization group, Ya Basta, after it crossed the Italian side of the border.

Koren, the police spokesman, said Slovene border guards ordered the bus to return to Italy. When several of the activists tried to leave the bus to protest the order, Slovene guards pounded them with nightsticks to force them back inside, according to a filmed report broadcast by Slovene television.